Last Friday, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp ( RIOC ) opened a much needed $5.4 million Comfort Station

and seating areas


at McManus Field,


named for the former Roosevelt Island
Public Safety Chief Jack McManus.

According to RIOC:

Nothing was more welcoming than the smile of Jack McManus. A staunch
supporter of youth sports and beloved Chief of the Roosevelt Island Public
Safety Department from 2013 to 2019, you could always count on seeing Jack
enthusiastically greet the soccer players he coached on the field that now
bears his name.

With the opening of the McManus Field Welcome Station, we hope that there
will, once again, be a steadfast welcoming presence on a field that Jack
loved so much.

Originally built in 1994, the $5.4M renovated McManus Field Welcome Station,
designed by landscape architects, Abel Bainnson & Butz and building
architects, Jack L. Gordon Architects, offers artful and energy-efficient
upgrades that transform the dated comfort station and surrounding area into
an inviting, accessible, and holistic focal point.

The most notable enhancement to the building is the 2,000 square foot green
roof covered in a mix of sedum plants. This roof has already begun to serve
as a habitat for natural wildlife, increasing local biodiversity. It will
mitigate storm water by retaining rainfall and acting as a filtration system
that will help purify and evaporate rainwater before it reaches sewers.
Additionally, it will provide shade, reduce urban heat, improve air quality,
and extend the life of the roof by protecting it from extreme temperatures
and direct ultraviolet radiation.

The building and surrounding area are now completely ADA accessible and
include an expanded communal area with added picnic tables and natural
seating created from existing stones, allowing approximately 150 individuals
to enjoy the area where, previously, only 20 would be accommodated. Recycled
wood that sustainably and visually relates to the surrounding recreational
green space clads the exterior. The incorporation of natural elements
continues with the addition of over 1300 shrubs, new trees, ornamental
grasses, and perennials that together shape a lush, 8,000 square foot urban
oasis.

Area pathways have been improved for safer travel while drinking fountains,
an irrigation system, and storage for field grooming equipment have been
added. Concessions are expected to open in the fall of 2021.

Unfortunately, RIOC reported today:

The McManus Welcome Station restrooms are currently closed for servicing. We
will let you know when the facilities have reopened.

I asked RIOC why the restrooms needed servicing days after they opened. No response yet.

Chief Jack McManus was beloved by many members of the Roosevelt Island community. As reported in 2019:

… On Tuesday June 25 , members of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association ( RIRA ) Public Safety Committee and other residents gathered together to tell Chief
McManus how much he has meant to our community and to thank him for his
service. It was a remarkable occasion of residents expressing their deep
personal affection and respect for Chief McManus and appreciation for the
positive transformation and professionalism he brought to the Roosevelt Island
PSD after years of tension and conflict between many in the community and the
PSD. There was much love, laughter and even tears in the room.

Watch the video of what happened. It was a wonderful time and Chief McManus
deserves all the respect, appreciation and love that was shown in the room…


UPDATE 9/9 – From RIOC:

Restrooms at the McManus Welcome Station are now open. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you kindly for your patience.

Roosevelt Islander